Lived Inside Me
by natsukifujino
Summary: Her red eyes scanned the surroundings and almost instantly bulged out in terror, her whole body was now trembling from fear and her knees felt so weak she was about to fall. She knows the time is near.her time is nearing.and yet she is not yet ready.
1. Chapter 1

**LIVED INSIDE ME**

**PROLOGUE:**

Behind the dark narrow alley, a strange black-hooded woman was frantically clasping her neck with both her hands, visibly having difficulty breathing, as if something struck down in her throat and blocked the airway passages. Her red eyes scanned the surroundings and almost instantly bulged out in terror, her whole body was now trembling from fear and her knees felt so weak she was about to fall. She knows the time is near...her time is nearing...and yet she is not yet ready….to accept her fate.

"Oh please….noo….not this time…." she is now having blurry vision….her body was in excruciating pain as if set on fire "not this….time…please…not this time…." she kept on repeating these words faintly as footsteps echoed in the damp cold street almost close by and with one last ounce of strength, she screamed these words "MR. STONE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

-x-

"Ughh…Nooooo…..stop…nooooooo!"

" Hey…hey buddy! Wake up! Wake up! What the hell! You're dreaming again!" the intruder gently rubbed the girl's face to stir her up. The dreamer looked so wasted and sweaty from head to toe, she was in complete disarray. She winked her eyes several times as it dawned on her that it was a dream..or rather, a nightmare.

"What is it now, this time, huh?"

"I saw a girl…I saw her.."

"Well…what's with this girl?"

"I saw her dying…right in front of my eyes…."

"Okay…. This is really getting weirder…do you know her?"

"I..I don't know…seems like I know her and then suddenly not…"

"Oookay…that's really weird! I guess it is better spending my remaining two hours of sleep here. Do you mind, ojou-sama?"

"Oh…nope…not at all but please Mai, drop that 'princess' thing! Makes me wanna puke!" She smirked at the laughing girl.

"Okay fine…but dropping that thing doesn't make you less popular in our school, well…actually even in this whole town!"

"Ohh cut it out! Or I'm gonna throw you out of my room!" the blunette's face started to turn red, veins almost popping out.

"Chill out, girl! Fine, let's just sleep…"

-x-

Early in the morning, inside the school campus, Natsuki and Mai went to their lockers which were located beside their classrooms. When the blunette opened hers, suddenly various letters which are mostly love letters were scattered all over the floor.

"Aish! What the hell are with these people? Don't they get tired from doing this! Arghh!" Natsuki scooped all the letters with her snickers shoes and plan to throw away when she focused on one letter that's very spooky. She picked it up and opened it, when suddenly, she seemed to hear strange voices. She looked at Mai who was busy arranging her things in her locker.

"Hey, Mai, did you…just hear..someone talk?"

"Huh? None. Why?"

"Are you serious? I heard it! Just now!" Her voice was suspicious and cold.

Mai turned around and looked at her oddly. "Yes, absolutely! Just your voice, when you ask." Mai searched her companion's face. "Are you still half-asleep?"

"No! absolutely not!" Then she focused on the strange piece of paper in her hand. She's positive something was written there just moments ago only she got disrupted by the voices, but now the paper was totally blank.

"Oh shit! I think I need a doctor!" Natsuki muttered more for her sake than to anyone.

"Soo. Is this your new style on slipping classes again, you crazy mutt"!

"No.. it's not! For real..you know…you won't believe me! Something's not right. I'm having nightmares, seconds ago, I'm hearing strange unfamiliar voices and now I'm seeing things which are not. Something was written on this paper and now it's gone!" She spoke at such speed she had to catch her breath after talking.

"Okay.. I take back my words. I'm sorry. Let's go to the clinic now."

"No. You go to class. I'll go on my own. Maybe just fresh air would help me clear my thoughts. Sorry Mai and make sure you'll have the most wonderful excuse to Midori-sensei on my whereabouts."

At this Mai laughed a little and entered the classroom. Natsuki went directly to retrieve her sportsbike Ducati and got out of the school campus at once. She went directly to the deserted beach they always went to with Mai and tried to calm herself and recall everything that has happened to her. She laid everything in her mind.

_Okay. I'm having nightmares for who-knows-how-long had it been. I'm always seeing girl dressed in a dark cloak. I see her eyes but not her face. I thought I know her then I thought not. Now, I receive a spooky letter and suddenly heard voices and now my eyes seemed to betray me. Oh, and yesterday, on my way home, there is this old hag who called me by a different name whom I could not comprehend. She warned me to never let that happen again as time is coming. That person is coming. Beware. _

"Haaaaayyy!" She just let out a deep sigh as if she could not anymore hold grasp of anything real and worth believing. She just keep on walking, while staring at the vastness of the beach, hoping everything would come her way, just like a message in bottle with all her answers in it.

It was about noon when she realized she had overslept in the small hut near the beach when suddenly, all her senses were up. She's not alone. She could feel it. This is not possible as no one seemed to come in that beach for a very long time. She slowly got down on her cot, looked around and saw a wooden stick. Though she knows this would only do little damage, that's the best weapon she had than nothing at all. She sat motionless searching for the source of sound. _It's outside. Beside the front door. _

She slowly reached the doorknob with her free hand while her other hand holds the weapon, ready to attack the intruder. She took a deep breath to relax herself though at this moment, anyone could possibly hear the strong thudding on her chest. _At a count of 3, _she thought to herself, _1..2..3! _

She quickly opened the door when her gaze was met by a blood-red eyes staring at her. That serious, mocking gaze seemed to freeze her whole body, she was just standing there with her one arm raised to attack but moving nowhere. Suddenly, panic rose from her whole body, she's paralyzed! She can't move..she was just staring at that dreadful eyes. Her breathing was now rapid and short, she thought she was not breathing anymore.

Then, suddenly, her mind was out of control, it's like the owner of those eyes were entering her thoughts, she was having blurry vision, she's seeing images and various words and symbols very foreign to her. Her head seemed to throb that it killed every second that passed. She tried to shut her eyes to avoid those eyes but to no avail. Her breathing was now short puffs, her whole body was cold but inside her, a very intense heat emanated from nowhere. Suddenly, she remembered the girl in her dream. _What happens to her is now happening to me! _With all the pain that had been inflicted on her, she suddenly collapsed on the floor. At that instant, she thought to herself, _'So this is it Natsuki Kuga. This is your end. I bid you farewell.' _Suddenly, everything was pitch black.

-x-

She knows that she's dead. She had seen how her life had ended in a very unusual way. Just like that. She would have tried to make sense of everything that had happened but thought it to be pointless. _After all, I'm dead! _She thought to herself.

But suddenly, she received a hard blow in her chest. _Fuck! What the hell, even in Dead Land, I'm feeling pain! _She received another one…and another one…instantly, her mouth spat liquids. Though it took her more effort, she tried to open her eyes in a slit way, as if she's being blinded by very bright lights. _Wow! One minute, I think I'm in hell and now…who would have thought I'll be in heaven! _

She rubbed her eyes gently and when she opened those green orbs, she was looking straight at those red eyes looking at her. Those eyes were red but this time, they were twinkling like stars at night. It's not the one she had seen earlier. Compared to the dreadful, serious orbs, these ones were gentle and friendly. She must have taken quite some time looking at those shining red eyes when the owner of those red eyes spoke in a soft, lovely voice.

"Ara.. Are you alright?"

Realizing she's looking intensely at those eyes for a while, Natsuki suddenly turned bright pink, looking away to hide her embarrassment.

"Kawaii! Your cheeks are burning red." The intruder touched her cheek with both hands to which Natsuki flinched but hadn't had to courage to move. Although she never liked anyone touching her, at this moment, she was very very exhausted from whatever-she-had-done-for-who-knows-what and in a strange way, for the first time in her life, she felt very secure with those hands around her. As much as she wanted to confirm if she's still alive or not, the exhaustion must have gotten the better of her as she suddenly dozed off.

"Mou.. She didn't talk to me." _But she's definitely beautiful..and weird…beautifully weird! I guess she just have to stay longer with me, to make sure she's fine! _The intruder lifted Natsuki in her arms and carried her in her car parked near the beach. Although she had just had a carwash, she knew she had to ask Haruka Suzushiro to clean this mess again. Both of them were dripping wet. After securing the sleeping figure in the passenger seat, she went to the driver's seat and drove happily.

After about an hour of driving, they arrived at the Fujino Mansion. She was greeted by dozens of servants in uniform black suit. She frowned at the sight of them for that means her fiancee, Reito Kanzaki, is here. She's not in the mood to talk to him and besides, she has someone to attend to. Instead of driving in the main route, she used the alternative where a small but still elegant structure stood there. She immediately blocked the passage to that alternative route and hurried over to attend to the blunette. No one was there except the two of them. She always went to this place when she wanted to be alone.

She carried her in her room and immediately undressed the blunette's wet clothes to prevent her from catching cold. As she did, she could not help herself admiring the defenseless beauty in front of her. _She is perfect! Her body, her face, everything about her was priceless!_ She toweled her off and dressed her fondly. _However, at the back of her mind, she had this natural instinct not to dress her at all! Fufufu! _

But she knew better and this lady needs more heat as she's chilling cold. Afterwards, she attended to herself and she had all the time to look at her injured arm. Although no blood was spilling, a big black mark was already forming suggesting internal bleeding. _She really hit well! Strong and hard!_

She changed clothing and after applying ointment and bandaged it, she settled next to the blunette. She was about to doze off when she noticed the chilling had not fade away. She had already put two blankets on her but still the she's still feeling cold. Finally, she thought maybe body heat would lessen her chill.

She removed her clothing and did the same to the blunette. She then wrapped her in her arms, feeling the flesh of the blunette which was ice-cold. She hugged her more so produce more body heat and she seemed to succeed as the blunette's body temperature seemed to lower. At this instance, the brunette had had enough time to stare at Natsuki. She looked more beautiful in close-up and her gaze fell on the younger lady's lips. Reviving Natsuki to death was how her first kiss ended. But she's not feeling sad. In fact she felt like kissing this stranger again. _Good enough, I could control my composure! Or else I'll end up badly! _

Actually, she felt a bit guilty doing this. She felt like cheating both on Reito and this lady. But on the other side, what she had done was all a necessity, for this girl. Realizing the girl was not chilling anymore, she released her and went to sleep.

The next morning, she was surprised that the younger girl had been embracing her thinking she was her soft pillow, Natsuki's arms on the brunette's chest and her one leg occupying the lower body of the intruder. When she turned her head sideways to look at Natsuki, she was surprise their faces was only inches away. She could hear her rhythmic breathing when suddenly, those eyes started to open slowly.

At first, Natsuki saw those red eyes again then sleep again. _Wait! I think I saw that girl before! _She pushed open her eyes again and was met by a smiling face. She looked around instantly and one thing that dawned on her the most was her skin feeling light and fresh. Her gaze runs down her body. She tried to think what happened but it was clear both of them were naked. To make it worst, her hand lay flat on the brunette's chest while her legs were propped up to the brunette's thighs.

Instantly, she removed her hands and legs but it was clear she was all embarrassed, flustered and at the same time angry. She pulled a blanket over her body and stood away from the brunette, not facing her. She tried to make sense of what had happened. _What the fuck have I done? Why are we nak…? Did I even stripped her? What did I do to her? Or maybe…what did she do to me… but I'm clinging on her like a pathetic kid, touching her thing! What the fuck!_

The intruder first clothed herself and approached to still flustered lady.

"I believe we have not introduced ourselves properly. I'm Shizuru Fujino" She extended her hand. Of course, both of them knew that it was crazy for any introductions after what happened between the two of them.

Natsuki did not speak nor shook hands with Shizuru. Just felt angry at the moment. Angry at herself, at this lady, at the moment, at the situation! She just felt angry.

"I know what you're thinking. But believe me, that is not what you are…"

"Who the hell are you barging at my privacy! She looked fiercely at the brunette. Although she was not in a position to tell that, she was just very mad and insane after everything weird happened to her.

"I'm sorry."

"Leave!" Natsuki shouted at her.

The brunette, just nod her head. She opened the door and got out but before she left, she told her that she could talk to her about everything that had happened if she wanted to. Natsuki noticed the injured arm of Shizuru wondering if she had done that to her but not now! She could just not think properly right at this moment. She dressed herself with what she found in the closet and sat on the side of the bed to think of the situation.

_Great! I'm so fucking alive and kicking! Should I jump for joy? Hell Yeah! I think I should, after realizing I have my one night-stand with who-knows-who-this-girl-is! _

She knew that despite the madness and anger that rose inside of her, she knew she just had to know the stranger's story and decide it later if she'll believe it or not. She had no choice but to ask her.

-x-

"So… how the hell did I end here?" Natsuki began looking around, wondering if she ever knew this place.

"I accidentally ran on the beach to rest for a while before continue driving. Fortunately, I saw a small hut nearby and was about to knock on the door..when..

"What!"

"Well. When you hit me out of nowhere." Natsuki couldn't believe what she was hearing but the injured arm of this lady was proof enough to believe that. But still, it just didn't make any sense at all! _How come?_

"What? How..NO! No way!" She tried to think what happened in the beach. As far as her memory goes, when she opened the door, she was looking straight to those bloodshot eyes; she stood there completely paralyzed; and like lightning, a pain seeped through her body up to her mind that it caused her enough to lose consciousness and thought that she was dead. _That is what happened! That is what I knew._

"Don't worry. I won't push you to believe me.." Shizuru continued to prepare dinner for both of them.

"Well. Assuming I believe you, what happened next? Why am I here?"

"After you hit me, you seemed to see something scary that you immediately dashed towards the beach. I called for you to stop but your mind seemed to be on something, as if you're running away from something. You swam as far as you could until the waves hit you. Then you slowly drift underwater."

"Go on!" Natsuki muttered impatiently.

"I went after you. When I was able to pull you out of water, your body was very cold, I'm afraid your heart had already stop. Then as last resort, I did… CPR."

Natsuki immediately blushed from head to toe. She had kissed her! _Fuck!_ _Oh man, this is getting pretty fucking interesting, huh. _She thought bitterly but she remembered pieces of what happened. The pain on her chest, which must be the CPR, then the blinding lights, which must be the sunset, then those twinkling red orbs which is hers – it all makes sense. She knew that was quite true…but the hitting, running towards the beach…she can't remember anything about it…

"That's when I thought of bringing you home. Now, would you like to have some breakfast with me?" Shizuru faced her with a radiant smile.

"No! I'm not hung~" Suddenly, her stomach growled so loud, she again blushed from embarrassment.

"Ara. So much for your denial! Fufufu!" Shizuru had served the food and the blunette reluctantly took the seat as far away as possible from the brunette.

They ate their breakfast in silence with occasional glance from the blunette to the injured arm of Shizuru. She thought of asking how the hell she got undressed but man, it gives her so much chill. Particularly, thinking that she was literally…well…almost hugging the brunette. She just didn't know how to start such weird conversation. She thought, _So, how the hell do you stripped me naked! _But she was just too embarrassed and flustered to even think about it.

But the older lady was watching her at the corner of her eye, as if reading her thoughts. She smiled and thought of teasing her. "Do you also want every detail after I got you here? How I carried you inside my room? How I slow-ly undress you while you're unconscious? How I see every~"

"Okay! Stop! I've heard enough! Don't think of saying more than what you already had!" Natsuki snapped at her obviously more embarrassed and turning redder in just a few seconds.

"Ara…are you sure you don't want to know it?" She teased her again. "Well…I think…you missed… the most exciting…" With that, Natsuki glared at her as if her death glare would scare that old lady. Sad to say, it allures the old lady to tease her more "oh well.. I guess.. I just have to leave it at that.. with only me knowing the truth" She then continued eating, leaving the younger lady in confusion. Part of Natsuki wanted to know, while the other dreaded it. In the end, she thought that 'most exciting part' has to wait! _Not now! Not now!_

-x-

She finished eating and immediately got alarmed.

"My Ducati…W-where is it?"

"Ara.. Do you mean your sportsbike?"

"Y-yes! Where is it?"

"Oh… I believe I left that some-where…" Shizuru teased her again.

_Argh! This lady is getting more on my nerves! What the hell is wrong with her! _Natsuki stomped away. She thought of looking around by herself. Maybe that lady was hiding it somewhere in her house~ well..fine mansion! She then thought of Mai, she wondered how she was right now that she hadn't even called to her. _I guess there will be a fucking lot of explaining to do when I got home then. It must have been a day that I'm missing. And hell yeah, she's gonna lecture for what, a whole day..a whole week! _

Natsuki hadn't had anyone besides her friend Mai. Although at times, Mai was noisy and was stricter than a mother, she is very precious to Natsuki. And honestly, she had depended on her for quite some time, after the accident her family had gotten into. Natsuki was very devastated she thought of killing herself after all her loved ones died in arson. Mai had gone to market when she suddenly bumped at Natsuki who was not in her mind. She followed suit and when she realized the girl was about to jump off the cliff, she hurriedly puller her and slapped her face so hard Natsuki's head almost flipped ninety degrees. At that moment, Natsuki gain her sanity and suddenly tears ran down her cheeks she could not open them for quite some time. That's when Mai decided to live her. Mai was temporarily living alone to study while her parents and her brother were overseas. But currently, Mai and Natsuki were stuck with each other.

"Haay! Damn! This is so futile!" She jerked her head up to look at the bright shining day ahead of her. She just need her Ducati so she could get home. But damn, that lady wasn't gonna tell her. Well, this left her with one option: _I'm gonna find her weakness no matter what! If I can't get it the easy way, then I have to work the hard way! _

-x-

Natsuki walked around the small version-mansion when she saw a family portrait hanging in the living room. Then scripted above were "Fujino" which was delicately carved in golden letters. It seemed to ring a bell but she just can't fit the words in her head. _Just where the hell did I hear this name? _

She then looked at the three figures. She assumed that Shizuru was the only child and she looked at the picture intently. She realized that the she had the same eyes as her mother – ruby red. Then she got her blonde hair from her father. She was staring at it for quite some time and realized how beautiful the lady is. _She is perfect. She is rich and even had her family – both her parents. She has everything that I wish I could have. Only that would never happen. Her family will never come back. They were killed. She knew it. She knew it._

"Ara.. I got you!" Shizuru got out from her hiding place.

"W-what!" Natsuki snapped.

"Fufufu! I saw you.. looking at my.. lo-ve-ly picture.."

"Huh! Oh please! Don't make assumptions!"

"Who said I was? I'm just stating what I saw." She was teasing her again.

"Yeah right! Like you know me!"

"Mou.. didn't we just share.."

"Shut up!" Natsuki blurted.

"Okay. I see. You were just staring at my picture. That's it. It's not like you are thinking I'm beautiful and perfect. It's not like you want me so badly."

Just then, Natsuki moved forward toward her. She pinned Shzuru's arms on the wall with both her strong muscular arms and she inched her face so that they can see each other closely – literally close. "Well. What if I'm really into you, What if I really wanted to fuck you right now!" Shizuru was taken aback especially when Natsuki moved her leg forward in between Shizuru's. She then touched her cheeks and then kissed her passionately. Natsuki's hand moved her way on Shizuru's body almost feeling her skin through the light garments the older lady was wearing. Shizuru was a bit shock and amazed she hadn't responded to the aggressive kiss, but simply moan. When Natsuki had made its way down, there, she found what she was looking for – the key. She positive that's her key to her motorbike. When Shizuru was about to respond, that's when Natsuki broke free with the key in her hand.

"So much for your weakness!" Natsuki teased her. Shizuru was amused and found this lady very interesting. _My turn!_

"Ara.. I believe that was goodbye kiss then. Mou..I wish I could have responded to that. " Shizuru muttered.

"Huh! Who told you that! That was a simple trick! And you just…simply fall for it! A trick to get my key back! Got it?"

"Mou.. You should just ask from me nicely. Anyway, since this would be our last meeting, might as well tell you what happened after undressing you.

"Nooo! Just shut up! Just keep it a secret or…"

"Or what! You'll kiss and abuse me again?"

"What the hell are you talking about!" Natsuki's jaw almost dropped to the floor. _Abuse? Her? Damn! _She knew her odds to escape this issue were closed to zero. "F-FINE! J-just tell me what you want!"

"Can we be friends?"

"What! Are you crazy? If I were given a chance, I would have just erased this part of my memory! There is no way I could deal with you! I want everything between the two of us over! With that, Natsuki left the dumbfounded girl and headed for the door. She found her way out as well as her Ducati and went straight to her home.

-x-

_Knock knock knock knock knock_

"Open up Mai!" Natsuki shouted.

_Natsuki? _Mai hurriedly stood up and went for the door.

"Oh! Hi Mai!"

_PAK! _"Hi your face, mutt!" Natsuki was shock that her face flew ninety-degrees to the right after receiving a warming slap on her face. She was about to yell but held it back when she saw Mai full of tears.

"Oh! Natsuki!" Then, Mai totally burst into tears. Natsuki hugged and hushed her as Natsuki closed the door behind them.

"I'm sorry." She murmured in her ears. It took them quite some time before Mai finally composed herself and served their lunch.

While eating, Mai noticed that Natsuki was quite distracted.

"So..what exactly happened to you? Oh..and don't ever think of missing any detail!"

Natsuki took great effort to tell Mai as honestly as she could while completely keeping to herself anything about the stranger she met – _Shizuru._

"So..you ended up spending the whole in that hut, huh?"

"Well…seems like that's the case.."

-x-

They spent the whole afternoon talking about school and other stuffs. Natsuki tried to focus on every word that Mai had said but her mind keeps on repeating her memory with the complete stranger. Despite her efforts to completely erase every connection she had, it keeps on coming back like she knew the girl from the very start. She couldn't find the word to describe it but there's a part of her that keeps on telling her to come back to her. _It's like I knew her and then suddenly I don't. _

"So…what do you think.." Mai asked her after all the litany that she had said.

"…."

"NATSUKI!" Mai screamed!

"Are you even listening to even one single word I had told you!"

"Ahh..that…well…I think…it's okay…Anyway, I think I need to rest for a while." Natsuki just said that to keep her friend from bugging her although she really hadn't listened to even just a single word from Mai. _Sorry Mai._

Natsuki tried all efforts to evade her thoughts about that girl but to no avail so she thought of sleeping. However, in her sleep, her nightmares seemed to double.

There is this girl again in her dreams – the girl in the overcoat. She's running fast in the woods. Definitely, someone is after her, she's being hunted. Although she couldn't see the face, she knew the girl was now scared to death as one of her hunters was closing the distance between them. In just a few seconds, the girl was caught and was pinned down in a large tree through her neck. The hunter stabbed her in her stomach and blood splashed everywhere. Both their faces are barely visible to Natsuki although she thought she knew both of them. The hunter pressed his/her hand on the girl's neck, definitely for a kill! "Now die!" she heard the hunter screamed while smiling wickedly and suddenly she thought she had a glimpse of the features of the girl. She knew her from somewhere – Shizuru.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Natsuki shouted at the top of her lungs. Mai hurriedly shook her to wake her up.

"Don't kill! Don't kill! Don't" Natsuki realized she was again having a nightmare. But this time, it was scarier for the girl who was now dying pictured the stranger she met. She was like watching a scary movie and sees someone she knew to die. Then when she looked at her hand, to her shock, she saw blood near her place.

-x-


	2. The Vessel, The Keyholder, The Protector

**The Vessel, The Keyholder, The Protector**

"NATSUKI!" Mai almost screamed at the top of her lungs. She immediately got first aid kit and attended to the blunette who was dripping wet from red liquid.

"Blood!" Natsuki looked at her hands full of thick red liquid that seemed to be coming from the back of her hand.

"Don't move" Mai dabbed clean cloth to the fresh blood from Natsuki's hand, then to her surprise, she saw the spot from where the blood was coming.

"What is this?" Mai asked very shock.

Natsuki looked at what Mai was pointing just in time to see that the wound in her hands was slowly closing as if healing itself on its own. In an instant, the big opened injury was nowhere, not even a scar was left in its place.

"Oh. Natsuki. What is happening to you?" Mai was in tears again as she just stare at Natsuki who was also surprised and at the same time, couldn't understand anything that is happening to her.

"Oh. Mai. I-I-I don't know. I don't know. I don't know myself. Don't know what's happening to me. No.. I don't know..I don't even know who I am now." Natsuki was on the verge of tears too when Mai hugged her to comfort her.

"Don't worry, I won't ever leave you. I'll help you" She soothes her until the blunette fell into sleep in her lap. Mai caressed gently her hair and her face to remove a tear forming on Natsuki's green orbs.

As she looked at Natsuki, she remembered the story her mother kept on telling them when she and her brother were still young. Although she was sure the story was just made up by her mother, it keeps on replaying inside her head and she didn't even understand why. Her mother had told them, that story was passed down from generation to generation and they should keep on passing it down to their children and grandchildren.

In that story, there is a girl who is destined to be the vessel who must endure all the sufferings that had been foretold. She must overcome any temptations and other forms of seduction to avoid falling into despair. She must avoid any form of distraction and never let herself fall in love. The only way to escape her dark journey is to find the keyholder who will release her from ill-fated life. She must find and kill the keyholder! In that way, the curse will not spread anymore. However, if the keyholder was the one to find her, she is as good as dead.

-x-

The early morning, Mai made a phone call to her brother to confirm something, to remove her suspicions, to clear her thoughts. However, as it turned out, she was now dreading she had asked about it. She suddenly searched something on the internet and she's working as fast as she could before Natsuki would wake up. After clicking and typing for quite some time, she suddenly stopped and wrote something to her notebook, made a mental note to herself to speak to someone she knew seemed well-versed in this issue and made their breakfast.

After a few minutes, Natsuki was up and was preparing herself for school. She thought about Shizuru especially her nightmare about her. She thought of seeing her to see if she was alright or something. She couldn't describe it but she had the urgency rising inside her to see the brunette no matter what. She thought of coming to her after class.

After she got out of bathroom, she was surprised to see a note and a breakfast already prepared on a table. She picked up the note, "Hey Nats! I have to go ahead of you, I have some important things to attend to. See you at school."

-x-

After eating, she thought of ditching classes again and went directly to the mansion of the Fujino's. It took her about an hour and half to reach it. She was about to knock then suddenly thought of leaving the place when the massive door opened and her gaze was met by a lovely lady a bit surprised at her appearance.

"Ara..Hello there stranger" She was greeted with such a radiant and sweet smile Natsuki thought she blushed instantly.

"Well…." Natsuki didn't know what to say. She was embarrassed she just looked at the ground.

"Do you mind telling me why you are here? Have you lost your way? Or have you intentionally visited me?" Shizuru frankly told Natsuki to see her even flushed redder. _Kawaii…_

"Well…" is what Natsuki could muster to say, still not looking directly at her. Shizuru walked towards her and placed her hand on Natsuki's.

"Well. Let's assume it's both. And if you don't mind, why don't we spend our exchange of lovely greetings inside." She smiled at her and followed the older lady while still clutching her hand.

Inside, Natsuki sat down while Shizuru was making hot tea. After serving, they spent a few minutes of silence gauging who should talk first and what to talk. Then, Shizuru broke the silence.

"I believe you have not introduced yourself to me properly." Natsuki looked at her and instantly Shizuru gave her a wink.

"Well. Kuga. They call me Natsuki Kuga."

"Ara..How lovely. Natsuki-chan!" She beamed at her.

-x-

"Are you sure about that Midori-sensei?"

"Well duh! Do you think I'm freaking kidding you to scare you off? I spent almost half of my life looking for that information!"

"Are you positive that can happen again?"

"That I can't be sure of. But there's a big chance it will. Given all the signs, everything seemed to be laid down properly – pointing to that bigger mystery."

"No..That can't be."

"In the past, it was a great privilege to be the 'Vessels', an opportunity to gain power. Despite the hardships, once they had overcome it, it was foretold they will gain power to control every living human being and other things. They had visions about the future, they could make or break things according to their plan. In short, they can dictate all forms of life in this world. Everything was easy however there are some who are tempted to use their powers to create havoc. They abused their power and hadn't maintained the balance of the world. Good enough, there was once a vessel who had created a group called 'Keyholder' who knows the weaknesses of the vessels. They are the only ones who can defeat the 'Vessels'. They stripped the 'vessels' of its ability to control every living things and although in some occasions, vessels had visions, they weren't as accurate as before. Because of these, the 'vessels' we're in a run. They tried to conceal their identity and focused on passing down their traits to their generations hoping that one day, they can again rule the world."

"So. You all believe these?" Mai was amused.

"Of course! And I'll let you on in my secret! In one of my journeys, I found a very old scroll. Although I couldn't fully understand what it meant, it seemed like a prophecy to me. It's about the Vessels."

"How did you know?"

"Because of their symbol. It was engraved on the wall where I found a slit and saw that old scroll. Oh I'll let you see it." While Midori was searching in her cabinet for that scroll, she kept on talking about how the vessels are very protective of their identities they had used foreign language and symbols as a form of communications and that they hired 'Protectors' who would be their communicators to other outside beings. They are capable of speaking any language and translate them to whatever language they wished to. The 'Protectors' are bound to protect the 'Vessels' no matter what. They are at the 'Vessels' disposal. They are attached to their 'Vessels' for the rest of their lives. If the 'Vessel' die, so do the 'Protectors'. They are two different persons with one life.

"Here!" Midori rejoiced when she had found the old scroll in her secret compartment and let Mai see it.

Instantly, Mai seemed like she was possessed and started reading the scroll like it was her own language.

_In the prophecy to be foretold_

_A vessel, a new power to hold_

_She'll come and now behold_

_Rejoice for she-who-rule-the-world_

_Seek keyholder, stole the key_

_Let that thing out and flee_

_Once vessels held power to thee_

_Destroy the world, let it be_

Midori literally almost dropped her jaw after hearing Mai translate those foreign symbols and words into one coherent prophecy. She spent almost a year trying to decipher these but to no avail. And now, she only needs one of her students. _What the hell!_

When Mai snapped back to reality, she hadn't remembered what exactly happened. But she somehow felt like she was being possessed. She looked at the bewildered Mai, raised her brow in askance. _What?_

Then, Mai suddenly felt she'd been hit by a thunderstruck after what Midori had told her. "You're a Protector!"

"No! That can't be!" Mai could not believe what she was hearing.

"You have just read these hieroglyphic writings!" Midori pressed on her.

"You're kidding! That's impossible!"

"Here! Look at this again!"

Mai obeyed and stared for quite a long time on the scroll. However, it seemed that she couldn't really understand a thing about it! "See! I don't! I'm not a Protector or whatever you are calling me!" Mai was now a bit impatient.

"Yes you are. You know, you have just translated this scroll. You said that a vessel will come who will hold a new power to rule the world only after she destroyed the keyholder. I know you are a Protector! It's just that you are not yet aware of it!"

"No! I won't ever believe you!" Mai rushed outside the door and went directly to the comfort room.

Now, everything was coming back to her now. Her nightmare was now coming true – that she was now part or her family had been part of that story her mother had told them. Their family had been 'Protectors' all the time. As she had reminisced their home, she remembered seeing the word 'Protector' engraved on her father's armband. She also remembered the necklace of her mother with a letter 'P' dangling on it. Although her mother's name never started at 'P', she never questioned it. But now everything seemed to be clear to her now. She also remembered in their photo album, that almost every man in their clan had an armband same as his father and a necklace same as her mother. After all this thinking, as if she had been reborn into a new person, Mai's ability and senses of being a Protector seemed to be awakened. She is a new and very different person. _I am a Protector!_

It took great effort on Mai's part to accept such a big responsibility but then suddenly a bigger issue hit her. _If I am a Protector, then…who is my Vessel?_

Another striking reality hit her as she remembered her friend – _Natsuki! She's my Vessel, the one I'm bound to protect! As I've confirmed, the signs – the nightmares, the strange and unfamiliar voices, the unbelievable healing..it all makes sense now. _Just the thought of knowing herself to be a Protector was really very traumatic for her. But learning that her friend must have been the 'Vessel' almost seemed to break her heart.

She suddenly had the urge to go to Natsuki but she knew she must learn more information as much as she could especially to what she had just found out on the internet. Reluctantly, she went back to Midori.

"Do you now understand?"Midori asked after she entered the room.

"Yes. That time is nearing. If there is the 'Protector', the 'Vessel', that means the 'Keyholder' must be nearby. What do you know about the 'Keyholder'?"

"In my research, they originated from the "Nif' jou" clan. Like the 'Vessels', the 'Keyholders' also passed down their traits and abilities from generation to generation to track down all vessels and prevent the destruction that was prophecied."

"You mean, the 'Keyholders' are aware of the prophecy about the 'Vessel who will rule the world'?"

"Not only are they aware. They also tried to conceal their identity to catch the Vessels. How about you? What do you know about the Keyholders? What do you plan to do? Will you help your 'Vessel' to destroy and rule the world?"

"I don't know. But as you mentioned, we are two persons with one life. I'm bound to serve my 'Vessel'…no matter what…"

"So that means you already know who your Vessel is?" Midori looked at her seriously.

"Yes! As her 'Protector', I'm keeping that information to myself." With that, Mai stood up and was about to leave when Midori called at her.

"Before I forgot, I believe there has been a rumor about the second prophecy. It's about the 'Keyholders'. Good luck with whatever you will do."

"Thanks. But remember to keep everything a secret. You know who we are and what we are capable of."

Midori never intended to tell anyone about that. But she was just amazed at how Mai had turned into a new person. She was not anymore the sweet, loving and kind-hearted lady she knew about her. Everything changed once she had realized she was part of the bigger plan – that she was a Protector. Everything about her changed abruptly, she could not even predict what Mai can and cannot do –all for the sake of her own Vessel. _I believe Natsuki…Natsuki Kuga is her Vessel. The first time I saw her, I just know she's different._

-x-

Mai suddenly hurried home only to find their room abandoned. Natsuki didn't go to school but she was not home either. Panic started to rise in her body. She knew that the time is near and she can't afford to let her Vessel out of her sight. Protectors are also designed to be the Vessels very own weapon. They are usually talented in every other way possessing various skills that would protect their Vessels. As for Mai, the moment she had awakened her skill, she had this heightened senses wherein she could detect even from afar where the location of her target is. She tried to feel the whereabouts of Natsuki however, it seemed that a stronger force field had prevented her from going far, from detecting exactly, Natsuki's location. Although the force seemed to be calm and gentle, she sensed danger in it. She realized it must have been the Keyholder's unawakened power. _I must find her! I must protect her!_

-x-

After drinking hot tea, Shizuru excused herself to clean the teacups first. Natsuki took the time to wander and in doing so, she ended up, on a wooden door that seemed sealed for a very long time as there were fully of cobwebs on the doorknob. As if she was being allured to open it, she looked sideways to verify that the brunette was not around. Then, she went near the doorknob and touched it. Suddenly, her mind went crazy, her mind was suddenly filled with images that are quite unrecognizable to her, then suddenly, she saw hundreds of people –all bloody and wounded, as they were being hunted and killed one by one. She could not control what's going on inside her head and when suddenly, she pulled back her hand away from the doorknob, her body went pitch black was about to fall hard on the ground and Shizuru was just in time to break her fall.

"Natsuki-chan? Natsuki? What's going on?" Shizuru's voice sounded alarmed but she tried to calm herself and brought the lady again to her room. This time, Natsuki was very hot from head to toe, she was as if being toasted in a boiling water. Shizuru damped wet clothes on Natsuki to prevent the heat from getting any further.

Natsuki was still flat black-out. Shizuru suddenly felt the girl's pulse was getting weaker and weaker by the minute. She tried her best to cool the girl's body but it keeps on getting hot. Shizuru was now panicking, when she put her ear on the girl's chest, Natsuki's heartbeat seemed to get slower and fainter. With no other options left, Shizuru just hugged the blunette while tears streaked down her cheeks. She had not really known this girl but she couldn't understand why she seemed attached to her somehow. She just hugged her to console her while death would slowly come to take the blunette's life away from her. In a few seconds, Natsuki seemed to stop breathing and Shizuru could not stop herself from crying.

However, to her surprise, the heartbeat suddenly got stronger, the pulse seemed to get back to normal and the heat seemed to drift away from the blunette's body. It's like magic that a second ago, Natsuki was burning like hell and now her body temperature was back to normal like nothing bad had happened to her. Shizuru was shocked but was very happy for the girl. Although she, herself, could not understand what had happened, the important thing is that the girl was alive and breathing well.

When Natsuki got stirred up, she was surprised to see Shizuru near her bed, with visible tears that ruined her make-up.

"Why are you crying?" she asked, bewildered.

"Y-you almost died! I think you did but…but then, you suddenly got a strong heartbeat…and then, there you are..as strong and healthy…" Shizuru beamed at her despite the tears in her eyes.

Natsuki couldn't believe what she had heard but she suddenly realized Shizuru wanting to hug her only she was preventing herself from hurting her feeling again. So, Natsuki simply tapped Shizuru's head and told her that she must be dreaming. Shizuru told her about the door, and how she was about to fall and was only stopped thanks to her.

Natsuki had told her that she would come again some other time. Actually, Natsuki also planned to know more about the Fujino's – their background and anything about them. She was intrigued by that name and of course, she also wanted to make sure, that Shizuru was alive and well. _Anyway, as they say, whatever happens to dreams would happen in the real world in the opposite. She would not die. I just feel she's strong and witty._

-x-

Mai was about to track the whereabouts of Natsuki when suddenly, she could feel that Natsuki was almost close by. She could feel her in her sportsbike, coming ahead. She waited for her in the room. When Natsuki opened it, she was shock to see someone she knew but then she doesn't. _Mai? Is that you?_

Natsuki already felt the new aura around Mai. _She seemed to be the Mai that I know but her expression, the stiff look she's giving me, she's like a very different person now. _"Oh! Hi there Mai!" Natsuki greeted her as usual despite the coldness between the two of them.

"Natsuki. From now on, you'll never leave my side without my permission. I'll never let you get out of my sight! Is that clear? Do you hear me?" There was an authoritative tone in her voice and she thought that maybe Mai was doing some new strategy to persuade her never to skip classes again.

"Haha! That's very cool Mai! So, right now I'm going to the bathroom. Wanna come and join me!" Natsuki went to the comfort room and was surprised that Mai was really following her inside the bathroom!

"What the hell Mai! Are you crazy!"

"Say what you want! You are not allowed to get out of my sight!"

"What the! Haah! This is so unbelievable! Yesterday, someone had already barged at my privacy and now you! ~oops…" That was supposed to be secret! Damn! My stupid mouth!

"What do you mean that someone had barged your privacy!"

"Oh..nothing! J-just forget it!" Natsuki waved her hand in dismissal while continue to push Mai away from the comfort room.

However Natsuki was not expecting what happened next. Mai pinned her in her neck with one arm and calmly but threateningly asked her again "Who is that someone that barged your privacy! TELL ME!" Mai's voice suddenly grew gloomy and scary.

"Hey..hey Mai! I-I-I ca-can't b-breathe~" Then, suddenly, Mai snapped back to reality and realized she must not hurt her.

"I-I-I'm sorry…"

"What is wrong with you!"Natsuki still rubbed her sore neck.

"Natsuki. Do you really want to know?"

"What? Is there something wrong with you?"

"No! The truth is this issue is something more difficult for you than for me to accept."

"What! That you're a guy!" Natsuki tried to humor but she knew that look from Mai – the serious gaze which means that this must be true.

"Fine. Tell me" Natsuki told her.

"I have to protect you no matter what!" Mai told her.

"Huh? Is that it? Oh please Mai! I can handle myself!"

"No! Please trust me! You'll soon understand that you need to be under my protection!"

"So. Are you pleading me or ordering me!"

"Both. Natsuki. Both. Please understand. This is the best for you."

"I still can't understand! Mai! What the hell is going on with you? Do I receive like death threats or anything in the school? Tell me!"

"It's not like that! But more grimly and dangerous than what you are thinking! That is why I ask you to please, just for the meantime, cooperate with me."

"So what exactly do you want me to do?" Natsuki was getting impatient and angry now.

"Just let me know where you are going please."

"Huh! Okay fine! You know Mai, you are really weird! Anyway, if that can satisfy your demand, then it's fine with me. It's just that the idea seemed to paranoid me, you know. It's like crazy!"

"I know it's crazy. But you'll soon understand." _Time is nearing, Natsuki. Time is nearing… I must protect you. I just have to. But first, I must know the Keyholder, the second prophecy and what lies in that prophecy._

-x-


	3. SheWhoRuleTheWorld

**She-Who-Rule-The-World**

"Good morning, Shi-chan, how is my beautiful fiancée doing?" Reito surprised Shizuru as he suddenly appeared inside the living room of the Fujino Mansion. He pecked her cheeks and gave her a bouquet of flowers.

"Ara. Good morning, Reito-kun! Thank you. Anyway, I thought you are on a business trip today."

"Well..I was…But then, I just felt someone has been missing me very much and I don't want to disappoint her!" Reito teased her.

"Fufufu. Are you referring to me or to some other girl you've met before me?" Reito instantly blushed at the thought but regain his composure as he was sure he saw her smiling. _Her turn! She's teasing me now!_

"How could I replace someone who is already perfect? Someone like you Shizuru?" Reito held her hands and kissed them.

"Anyway, since I'm already here, I want to tell you something very important."

"And that is?" Shizuru asked.

"About our marriage. I think we should schedule it earlier. You see, why do we need to wait for a year when we are now ready, right, Shi-chan?" Reito was hopeful that Shizuru would agree. However, she saw doubt in her eyes. _I must convince her!_

"Why do you think so, Reito-kun?"

"Because we are in love. In fact, your father wanted to have grandchildren _earlier than expected_." Reito winked at her giving emphasis on his last words.

"C-Can we talk about it some other time?"

"Shi-chan, my parents and your parents have already agreed to celebrate our marriage tomorrow."

"You're kidding?"

"I'm serious. That is why I made it a point to tell you before our marriage. I want you to be the most beautiful person in my eyes!"

"Well…I guess I have no other choice…" Shizuru said more to herself than to her fiancee.

"Alright! Shi-chan, I think I have to go now. I'll just call you later. See you." Reito kissed her in her forehead and suddenly left.

Shizuru was still wondering why their parents wanted this marriage soooo early – as in tomorrow morning. _Why rush?_

-x-

Mai was busy surfing the net and making few calls to Midori and some anonymous person for some confirmation.

"Positive." _That's it. That should be the location of it. No doubt about it._

Mai scurried outside and grabbed a cab to reach her destination. She met with Midori and together they walked by foot to enter the jungle. Hung above its entrance was the word "M . ST NE" which seemed to lose some of the letters due to the passage of time. Since the jungle was forsaken for a very long time, various wild plants and very large trees almost covered any lighting that seemed to make its way inside. As such, Midori opened her flashlight while Mai was hacking some plants away to make their way.

After almost an hour of walking, Mai stopped to a spot which was clearly covered with moss despite the rocky ground floor everywhere. She bent down and started clawing at the moss deeper until her hand touched the very thin sheet of paper that was rolled. Half smile crossed her face. _This is it._

-x-

Natsuki woke again from a bad dream and stood up to search for Mai but she wasn't around. _Oh well. She still has a life of her own. _

Natsuki saw that her breakfast was ready as usual and scampered to fill her hollow and growling stomach. After grooming herself, she rode her Ducati and as if someone had taken over her, she was surprised she found herself in front of the Fujino Mansion. _What the hell! I didn't even plan to come here!_

Just then, a front door opened and a yawning brunette appeared in her sleeveless white shirt and pajama. Natsuki instantly blushed as the thin clothing that wrapped Shizuru was literally thin that Natsuki could easily see what's behind those garments. _Whoa! _

"Ara! Hello stranger!" Shizuru greeted her.

Natsuki hadn't had time to respond quickly as her mind was still lingering at the body of the brunette. Then, she felt a hand reached her. She looked up. _Shizuru! When did she get this close?_

"Ara. Are you alright?" Shizuru asked as she touched her.

"Ow. Yeah. Definite~"

Just then, Natsuki realized she must have had nose bleeding as Shizuru was already wiping it with her hands. For a moment, Shizuru seemed dazed with the thick red liquid and as she snapped back, she hushed Natsuki inside to rest for a while despite the constant whining of Natsuki that she felt fine.

"Might as well come inside for you to rest. I have something to give you as well."

_Seriously, didn't she just hear me clearly? I said I'm fucking fine! Thanks to my stupid nose, just bleeding out of nowhere. That's so convincing to be someone who is freaking fine!_

Shizuru was brewing tea again while Natsuki settled on a sofa to clear her thoughts. After she served some bread and tea, Shizuru went to her bedroom to retrieve some things that her fiancée had left.

"Wow! Your mayo filling is just great!" Natsuki was still licking her fingers when Shizuru moved toward her and extended her hand to offer an envelope.

"For me?"

"Yes. Absolutely. I just thought you might want to show up." Shizuru smiled while still offering the envelope to Natsuki.

Natsuki cleaned her hands with napkin and reached for the envelope. She opened it and was quite disturbed with the paper inside it. She was quite positive she saw this kind of paper before, she just couldn't exactly remember where. Anyway, she let that issue drop as Shizuru was watching her. She picked up the paper and stared at Shizuru.

"You're getting married?" Natsuki asked. Shizuru thought she had heard a hurt expression on her voice but dismissed it nonetheless.

"Yes. The tomorrow morning. I wonder if you may have your free time to…" Shizuru left it hanging.

"I-I didn't know you have a boyfriend."

"Well. Apparently I have. A fiancée, I suppose."

"Well. Let's see…" Natsuki stood up and walked a few distance toward Shizuru. "You know what, I've been wondering, why you are always in my head." Natsuki didn't mean it that way but she just couldn't understand why her image keeps on swimming inside her head and portraying the lady who always got killed in her nightmares! The moment she met Shizuru, her image always filled up the blurry image of the girl who always got killed or in near death in her dreams.

"W-what do you mean?" Shizuru couldn't read the expression that registered on Natsuki's face. Mixture of angry, suspicious and hurt and sad emotions stirred up all at the same time.

Natsuki still moved forward and pinned Shizuru on the wall with one hand fixed horizontally on the floor blocking any escape from the brunette. "Tell me. What have you done to me? Do you know how much it pained me?"

Shizuru couldn't understand what the younger lady was saying and tried to persuade her to calm down. "NO! NO! NO! I can't calm down, not until you answer me!" Natsuki was shouting although their faces were a few distance apart.

"W-what do you want me to do?" Shizuru's voice was almost pleading. She couldn't really guess what Natsuki was telling her. _Did she ever like me? Is this about me getting married? Is this how it pained her at all? Knowing that she liked me but then I'm going to get married soon._

"Just blurt it out! Why the hell are you always stuck in my mind? Who are you? What have you done to me? Why am I like this? Why are you always popping in my dreams, in my nightmares? Why? Why? Why? I just couldn't understand!" Shizuru tried to envelope the enraged girl in her arms.

Then, suddenly, as if someone had taken over Natsuki's body, she pinned Shizuru on the wall with her body and her hungry lips find its way on Shizuru's. Shizuru couldn't move as the lady pinning her seemed to have gained a powerful strength so that even though Shizuru was strong, she just couldn't outpower her. Then, Shizuru started to feel a tingling sensation that first runs to her toes and slowly up to her body. Suddenly, she felt her body on fire. She felt as if her energy was slowly…slowly drifting away and soon she'll see black spots forming in her mind. Then, suddenly, it was pitch black and coldness seeped through her body.

-x-

Mai carefully opened the scroll and moved it toward the flashlight that Midori was holding. Mai was in her 'Protector' mode again as she deciphered with ease the unintelligible symbols and words all jumbled up in that one piece of paper.

_Be warn the vessel, for she-who-rule-the-world_

_Tick Tock Tick Tock, soon to be dead and cold_

_Rise protector, the truth itself will soon unfold_

_Deceived not, see it, feel it and think like an old_

_Cunning as it had been for time is running_

_The first to seek shall dictate the ending_

_Among the four, two shall be living_

_Make haste before it end up failing_

_Time had come and so it will_

_The moment, everyone is still_

_Use that thing so it will heal_

_But life's at stake that's the deal_

Mai pondered on these lines for a long time. It seemed that this scroll was speaking to her and telling her that something is not right. Something have gone astray. But the hellish thing was the 'WHAT'! She couldn't exactly decipher the real meaning of those words and she was pretty sure she must hurry or everything will be ruined. _C'mon Mai. Think! Think harder, Think faster._

She first lay down what she had known so far and from there, she started to weigh what should be right and wrong. _First, I know that I am a Protector. I, being able to read and decipher some unintelligible mixed up words can make sense of it. Not only these but my parent's background and her brother admitting it proved it to be true. Second, she was aware of the presence of the so-called Vessel which she knows she must protect with all her life. She knew that her Vessel was Natsuki, from what she must have been suffering, from her nightmares, from the strange voices, from the unclear visions – these proved her to be that. Third, she knew that there was the Keyholder, who would try to kill the Vessel or Natsuki itself. _

Like she was hit by lightning, she realized something was amiss. She suddenly turned to Midori."Tell me exactly what you know!" She demanded.

"Okay. I will. But you have to promise me one thing."

"I will."

After such deal, Midori had told her everything that she had known from the moment she had held the first scroll as well as any detail which she thought might be of importance for the Protector. Then, instantly, like a stricken dog, Mai eyes grew wide and couldn't believe what she was about to face now. She shook her head in disbelief but she knew she must make haste before she ended up failing.

"Midori, we've been deceived!"

With that, Mai made her way out and instantly ran and hopped on the taxi nearby. Midori was behind her calling her name but she was oblivious to the world. Her whole attention was now focused on the truth which had unfolded itself. While inside the cab, she ran her thoughts about it.

_So that was all for a trick. _She couldn't not believe she had been deceived that easily. She wanted to hurt herself badly but she knew the Vessel – her Vessel, would surely need her, for she-who-rule-the-world is coming. She repeated inside her head a quote from the scroll, 'Among the four, two shall be living'. She again cursed herself for her ignorance. _Damn! How the hell could I ever forget that! I forgot to include it. We are not just three –Vessel, Keyholder, Protector. We are all four – including she-who-rule-world. For now, she knew that only half of the truth had been unveiled and she knew that the other half would soon reveal itself once she got there. She knew it would only be a matter of minutes._

Mai used her heightened senses to locate where Natsuki might have been. Though it took her some effort to get into the barrier, she made it successfully to locate Natsuki. She hopped off the cab and she was now facing the Fujino Mansion. Instantly, she was suddenly aware of the presence of a stranger hiding from somewhere nearby. _I'll handle that later. For now, I must find them._

Mai made her way with ease and was instantly inside the Fujino Mansion. Suddenly, she realized she was a little too late. She saw Natsuki, her eyes which turned red were throwing daggers at Mai's direction. Suddenly, she let out a very loud shriek, her mouth opened wide as far as it could. Then, she spat green liquids on the floor which now covered the unconscious brunette on the floor.

Then, what happened next seemed to be the most frightening thing that Mai could expect and it happened very fast that Mai could only watch it in despair. After all the green liquids seemed to get out of Natsuki's body, a very black thing seemed to be coming out from her mouth. Mai could see that the true Natsuki was forcing it to keep inside her body but the force was just strong enough that it seemed to have a life of its own –now wanting to get out from her. In just a few seconds, Natsuki was already spitting a big shapeless black form out of her mouth. Once it was outside, the black thing formed it shape like a human and instantly, in every part of its body, eyes started to open up. As the complete transformation had been revealed, Mai just fell to her knees, feeling all her energy, her life was slowly slipping away. _Too late!_

Suddenly a voice came from behind Mai.

"Greetings, lovely Protector!" She did not look up and but she already knew who it was.

"You, bastard!" Mai cursed her in between clenched teeth.

"What the lo-ve-ly greeting then." The intruder walked in front of Mai and bent down so that their faces were on the same level.

"Now that all this fucking glory is in your hands, might as well detail to me every trick you use to fool us, Keyholder! or better yet, Keyholder Reito Kanzaki"

"Well, if this is your dying wish, might as well give it to you, so that your restless soul will somehow be relieved."

The Keyholder told her how he had used Midori to trick her that he had told her he had seen a very old scroll somewhere in the excavation site they were on while they were on the same research group. However, that scroll was only patched up, a fake one, created entirely to mislead them. He knew all along that it was one of his comrades in this research group who would turn out to be his way to find the Protector, for this had all been prophesied by the Keyholders' guide. And it turned out to be Midori.

"So you only use her to locate where I am."

"And to fool you, Protector! However, I should give you credit nonetheless, for finding out about the second scroll – the scroll that should now have saved your butts had you only find it earlier! You know what, we have buried that scroll deeper in that jungle – in our jungle, but you managed to get out safe and sound. However, you reached your limit here!" Reito laughed wickedly then started his story.

" As everything had been working our way, there is nothing for me to do but to simply to wait for Mr. Stone, for she-who-rule-the-world, for she would be our only way to find the Vessel, to get its power and rule the world. Now, look at your lovely Ves-sel. What a waste! I should have had used her first to my advantage, especially now that our damned marriage was only a couple of hours away but now she's nothing but a waste to me!"

Mai turned her attention on the unconscious lady covered with thick green liquid then to Natsuki who was wasted and had short, ragged breathing after the black thing came out of her body. Mai's eyes started to flood with tears. _I am good for nothing. I must die! _Mai thought grimly.

"Now, for our finale, let's see how powerful Mr. Stone is – she who-rule-the-world." The black thing covered with scary eyes let out a very sickening shriek and turned its focus on the unconscious lady.

"NOOOOo!~ Not my Vessel!" Mai shouted as her voice cracked in mid-air.

"Unleash your power, Finish the Vessel! " Reito, the Keyholder shouted. The black thing turned its attention towards the unconscious body –Shizuru. Then it readied itself for a launch, for the final blow to kill the Vessel, bared fangs already out and were only inches away from Shizuru.

However, it suddenly stopped and let out a deafening howl, as if in pain. It crouched down a bit but its strength is still invincible. The creature, all its eyes, suddenly fixed on Natsuki who was holding a handle of a bread knife that was stuck in one of her shoulder blades. Then blood started to run down through the bread knife handle, to her hands, then to the floor.

Reito suddenly got alarmed! Mai also panicked. Then, the unconscious lady seemed to get a grip of reality though she seemed very weak and pale.

"Stop it!" Natsuki glared at the creature.

The creature growled at her, in fury for what Natsuki had done!

"Back off! You lived inside me! You, Devil inside me! I completely understand. All the nightmares, the strange voices, the blurry visions, those times when I suddenly felt someone controlling me and now this lady! You caused all of these! You, MR. STONE! or should I call you MONSTER – she-who-rule-the-world! You were all behind these things. At times you took on my sanity particularly in my nightmares and sometimes even when I'm awake by letting me see blurry visions. You are the strange voices inside my head. And now..now I know why I am so attached to this lady. This is all because of you. Because you knew all along that she was the one possessing the power, the power to let you born in this world. Her life, Her energy, you drained almost all of it thru that kiss."

"You never change!" Natsuki heard the creature hissed at her.

"I will never let you rule over me! Nonetheless rule this world. Now if my death would mean your death, I might as well accept this as a blessing in disguise. This way I could die in relief." Natsuki was now in pain as the joints in her right shoulder seemed to be dislocated because of the stab she made.

"Go on, Loser!" The creature challenged her.

Natsuki deepen the stab in her right shoulder which caused both the creature and herself to cry in pain. "H-h-how does it feel?" Natsuki mocked her though she was also suffering the same pain the creature had had.

However, in a speed of light, Mai instantly wrapped the creature with a very thin but very strong string all the way from its feet and up to what seemed like its head. It growled in pain as Mai pulled the string harder so that the creature would be constricted in its place. However, Reito instantly shot its way toward the weak Vessel, propping her up to serve him as prisoner.

"Let her go! Shizuru!" Natsuki cried

_Damn! _Mai thought grimly.

"Release her!" shot Reito back.

Mai didn't move.

"Release her or your lovely Vessel will die! NOW!" Reito had a sharp knife pointed directly at Shizuru's neck, almost prickling her skin, sending few red liquids to run down its way.

Instinctively, Mai released her grip on the string and the creature slammed her sending her crouching on the floor in pain.

"You fool!" Reito muttered as he pushed the knife harder on Shizuru. However, to his surprise, Natsuki had managed to push Shizuru away from his reach and the knife fell harder, deep on Natsuki's stomach sending her and the creature to the ground. Reito had panicked and Mai took this opportunity to kill the Keyholder. She moved swiftly and in just a second, she snapped the veins on Reito's neck. Instantly, his movement turned still and his breathing ceased.

Then, Mai moved towards Natsuki, cradling her in lap.

"H-hi..you…s-s-stranger." Natsuki managed to humor her despite her short breathing. It would not take long before she shuts herself into this world.

"Noo..Natsuki, listen. Natsuki" She forced her to open her eyes as Natsuki was about to shut them. "Noo. Natsuki listen, just open your eyes. Natsuki…Natsuki…look at me…hey…look at me.." Mai was shaking her stubbornly as tears flooded down her face.

"M-mai… I'll d-die a-and s-so i-is the c-creature. D-do me a f-favor. P-protect S-Shizuru and b-burn our bodies."

"Noo Natsuki! Listen to me! Listen to me! You'll be okay. I- I p-promise…." Mai simply could not bear to lose her friend. She remembered a quote from the second scroll. 'Among the four, two shall be living…' Then, she thought about it grimly. _So, this must be it…Among the four, two shall be living… which means two will be dead. The Keyholder, Reito, one and…and… The Monster – she-who-rule-the-world, Natsuki…._

_Noooooo….._

"Natsuki, Natsuki..I promi~" The words were left dangling in air as the slow ragged breathing seemed to smoothened out, to even out. Mai watched as the life from her best friend, was slowly slipping away just like that of the monster. Instantly, the black monster slowly transformed into black ashes and slowly vanished into thin air.

Mai looked at Natsuki's blank green orbs and slowly closed them while her tears were now wetting Natsuki's face as well. _Natsuki...No… I will trade places with you if only I know how! _She lay Natsuki's body down and went towards Shizuru to help her. She had been knocked out a while ago when Reito pierced her skin.

However, as she set Shizuru on a sofa, Mai suddenly remembered the second scroll. She brought it out from her pocket to examine it again. She let it run on her mind again.

_Time had come and so it will_

_The moment, everyone is still_

_Use that thing so it will heal_

_But life's at stake that's the deal_

Mai suddenly remembered what Midori had asked from her – that one condition she wished – to teach her the method of 'Delving' so that she could study it. Midori told her that almost all Protectors are very wonderful delvers, that they could enter one's mind or sometimes, even souls and force them to follow orders. Mai have had a vague memory of this when she was still a child. How her grandfather had delved with his brother whom she knew was already dead. Then, as if a blur, all she could remember was that her brother started to rub his eyes and yawn while her uncle suddenly slumped on the chair and never moved again. When she was just a kid, she could not understand that, but now she clearly knew it – that their grandfather saved his brother in exchange for his life.

Then without thinking she went near Natsuki's lifeless body and she stared at her face for a long time. At first, she thought she could never make it as she had never tried it. But then she suddenly felt her consciousness was leaving her body and was making its way on Natsuki's mind. Instantly, her body just freeze, she knew she would be dying soon. _Natsuki…Take this… _Then, everything went black.

As if in a deep slumber for a long period of time, Natsuki stretched her body and now she knew she was dead. She propped open her eye and tried to blink checking if her eyes were betraying her. But, no. Everything seemed real. She was still in the Fujino Mansion and although blood had stained her clothing, she checked her body but found no wound. Not even a scratch. Then she realized Mai, also crouched down on the floor. Horror filled Natsuki's face as the body seemed very still.

Instantly, she pulled Mai closer to her and rested Mai's head on her lap. Tears were already lining her eyes when suddenly she heard a noise and it made her nose flinched, she easily covered it with her hands. Then, as it dawned on her the source of the sound, she instantly felt relieved. She could not contain her happiness that tears were now making its way on her cheeks.

She slowly stirred the lady on her lap. Mai slowly opened eye and frowned when she saw Natsuki. "Natsuki? What is she doing here in heaven? Or is it hell?" Mai asked more to herself.

"Yes. Because you are here again on earth, dear angel! You had been banished from heaven for being a rebel angel who farts whenever she likes and now you are here again on earth!" Natsuki teased her as she wiped tears from her face.

"W-what? Natsuki? Are you for real?" Mai touched Natsuki's face for confirmation.

"Yes ! I'm 101% real! Oh and mind you, you farted fairly well!" Natsuki teased her again, this time Mai got up and frown at Natsuki. 

"Hey. Just kidding!" Natsuki coaxed the hurt lady.

"Hmph! Anyway, I'm wondering…How the hell I live… I'm sure I trade places with you… I should die…" Mai wondered out loud.

"Well..I told you! You farted in the paradise and now, that's polluted! As punishment, you must continue living!" Mai poked her head and they started laughing.

-x-

Shizuru was also stirred from her slumber as Natsuki was putting bandage on her neck. "Easy..Easy.." Natsuki stopped her from moving and forced her to stay on her bed.

"N-natsuki"

"Shizuru, I'm sorry.. I'm sorry I brought you into this mess…" Natsuki trailed off.

"No..Don't be… It's not your fault.." Her voice choked as the wound on her neck made her difficult to talk.

"Shh…Don't talk anymore, please..Just rest for a while. I'll take care of you, I promise" Natsuki held Shizuru's hand tightly and with that, Shizuru drifted off to sleep.

Natsuki brushed Shizuru's hair with her hands and gently planted a light kiss on her lips. "Shizuru.."

-x-

Mai went to Midori after resting for a while and explained to her everything that had happened.

"There's just some of those things I could not understand.." Mai said

"First, the scroll told us that this 'Among the four, two shall only be living'. But how come we, three, are living. And when I delve, I know I should be dead..but I'm not."

Midori thought about for a minute and let out her theory. "Y'know, I think it this way. That it had really happened that only the Protector and the Vessel had lived. Even though it was just a matter of minutes, it still happened, when both Reito, the Keyholder and Natsuki, the Monster died. But then the prophecy called for a deal, that is how you revived Natsuki. You had risked your life to the point of trading places with her but it seemed that you won that deal and now the two of you live."

However what bothers Midori the most was the creature. She knew that it had died when Natsuki had died as well. But now it was different. Natsuki was now alive.. Does it also mean… The thoughts were so grim she hadn't wanted to ruin the good and bright mood of Mai so she didn't bring it up. _Maybe…Maybe I was just wrong…That maybe everything was really over…I just hope I got this idea wrong…_

-x-

When Shizuru woke up, she was surprised the ragged but sleeping blunette had not taken her hand off hers. Shizuru smiled at her and she took her time to look at Natsuki closely. She traced the cheekbones, the nose and lips of the sleeping blunette, wanting to memorize every detail of it. Then, Natsuki got stirred up. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see the brunette with a tear in her eye.

"S-Shizuru? Are you hurt somewhere?" Natsuki asked with concern.

Shizuru nodded.

"Where?" Natsuki started to search for any hint of injury but found none. Then, she saw Shizuru put her hand on her chest, indicating that it was her heart that was hurting.

"Natsuki..I'm betrayed on all sides.."

"D-don't worry, I will never..ever leave you…" Natsuki squeezed her hand firmly to emphasize her point.

"Y-you promise?" Shizuru asked, her voice very young.

"I promise. I promise I won't leave you." _You are more precious to me than you'll ever know. _Natsuki gave her an encouraging smile and she was surprised when Shizuru gestured for her to move forward.

Then Shizuru murmur in her ears. "H-how about my lips? I think they are tired and bruised as well?" She blew this hotly on Natsuki's ears she had turned bright pink instantly.

Natsuki needed no words for it. As they say, action speaks louder than words! And she was just doing it perfectly fine!

-x-


End file.
